Size: 500,000 square feet

Challenge: Cabot, Cabot & Forbes identified a hidden asset: an underutilized, nearly obsolete, multi-story warehouse located near mass transit and the intersection of two of Greater Boston’s major highways: Route 128 and the Massachusetts Turnpike.  After getting leasehold interests and fee interests under its control, CC&F then secured necessary permits from the City of Newton to expand existing non-conforming uses and obtained zoning variances to allow the redevelopment of 500,000 square feet of class A office space and a 1,000 car parking garage.  CC&F also personally negotiated with single-family homeowners who abut the project to design and provide mitigation including enhanced landscaping.

Solution: Riverside Center is a four-story Class-A office building with a 1,000-vehicle parking garage.  The signature exterior combines red brick, a glass curtain wall, two-story bay windows, and precast stone, designed to provide a unique and varied façade.  The development is actually divided into three separate structures, united by a four-story, 500-foot-long glass-enclosed atrium.  The main level of the atrium has granite flooring, while the upper level has carpeting with a variety of flooring textures and color.  The lighting of the atrium is accented by custom wall sconces and a combination of wood paneling and accents.

Results: Located in the very heart of Massachusetts’s acclaimed Route 128 technology corridor, Riverside Center is the largest commercial project ever approved in Newton.  It also provides walking access to the Riverside Station on the MBTA’s Green Line for fast and convenient access to downtown Boston.